News

SAN ANTONIO (December 15, 2011) – Hawai’i all-American Kanani Danielson, who led her team to a 31-2 record and the third round of the national championship, has been selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner in NCAA® Division I women’s volleyball. The announcement and trophy presentation were made today by Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, during the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship in San Antonio.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I women’s volleyball coaches, national volleyball media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

“It’s an honor to be selected out of the many student-athletes that were recognized,” Danielson said. “Much credit goes out to those who have helped me on this amazing volleyball voyage.”

A native of Ewa Beach in O’ahu, Danielson has been on the Western Athletic Conference academic team and is a two-time member of the CoSIDA Academic All-American second team. The interdisciplinary studies major participates in beach cleanup efforts with her team and has also been part of the Manoa Makeover – an effort to beautify the campus. She participates in reading workshops for students at Alii’lolani elementary school and has volunteered at the Kaneohe drug rehabilitation clinic.

“Kanani excels in all facets of this award,” Hawai’i head coach Dave Shoji said. “She is an excellent student-athlete and her performance on the court is the most obvious of all of them.”

Danielson is an American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team All-American. She has won three straight WAC Player of the Year awards and was the conference’s freshman of the year.

“Kanani has shown her love for and dedication to her home state when she made the decision to remain in Hawai’i to go to college,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “Her outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments reflect not only her hard work but also her respect for the university and what it stands for in her community.”